title: Spike synchronization of chaotic oscillators as a phase transition.
abstract: We study how a locally coupled array of spiking chaotic systems synchronizes to an external driving in a short time. Synchronization means spike separation at adjacent sites much shorter than the average inter-spike interval; a local lack of synchronization is called a defect. The system displays sudden spontaneous defect disappearance at a critical coupling strength suggesting an existence of a phase transition. Below critical coupling, the system reaches order at a definite amplitude of an external input; this order persists for a fixed time slot. Thus, the array behaves as an excitable-like system, even though the single element lacks such a property.
authors.affiliation: C.N.R.-Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, L.go E. Fermi 6, 50125, Florence, Italy. marzena.ciszak@inoa.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciszak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montina
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Arecchi
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors